Common signs of depression include feeling low, feeling bad about yourself and not wanting to do things. Everyone has ups and downs - sometimes you might feel a bit low, or experience grief when you lose someone you love.

Anxiety is something we all experience from time to time. Most people can relate to feeling tense, uncertain and perhaps fearful at the thought of sitting an exam, going into hospital, attending an interview or starting a new job.

You may worry about feeling uncomfortable, appearing foolish, or how successful you will be.

In turn, these worries can affect your sleep, appetite and ability to concentrate. If everything goes well, the anxiety will go away.

If you have Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), you can feel worried all the time and this can seem out of your control. It may feel as though there is no real reason for your worry. You might feel ‘on edge’ and very alert to your surroundings a lot of the time.

When we talk of birth trauma, we mean Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that occurs after childbirth. We also include those women who may not meet the clinical criteria for PTSD but who have some of the symptoms of the disorder.

It is estimated that, in the UK alone, traumatic birth experiences may result in 10,000 women a year developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

It is clear that some women experience events during childbirth (as well as in pregnancy or immediately after birth) that would traumatise any normal person.

An obsession is an unwelcome thought or image that repeatedly enters your mind and is largely out of your control. These can be difficult to ignore. You may not want these thoughts and they can be disturbing, which can make you feel distressed and anxious.

A phobia is defined as a strong and persistent fear that is out of proportion to the actual danger, triggered by specific objects or situations. The symptoms of a phobia involve experiencing intense fear and anxiety when faced with the situation or object that you are afraid of. If your phobia is severe just thinking about the object of your phobia can also trigger these.

Trichotillomania is a condition where you feel the urge to pull out strands of your own hair. This can be from your head (usually the top of the scalp) or from other places such as your arms, eyelashes, legs or pubic area.